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Thread: Tackle advice for Swains

  1. #1

    Question Tackle advice for Swains

    Hi Guys
    A mate is venturing for his first Swains trip out of Gladstone. He would be the first to admit he is not an experienced fisho, though some of those with him are.
    I am going to lend him some gear, and with inexperience in mind, I thought I would pose the question as to what you would recommend.
    The gear available is and not restricted to
    Alvey star drag snapper reels with 50 lb. braid.
    large bait runner spinning reels with 30 lb. braid.
    Some hard bodied deep diving lures---rapala
    Simple o/head --click in gear reel with 50lb. braid.
    Numerous ball sinkers of various sizes.
    1/2 and 3/4 lb. snapper sinkers.
    Made up two loop paternosta rigs.
    An ugly stick for the underslung reels, and a rod for the o/head.
    Haven't been out to the Swains for a number of years, so am not up to date as to what is happening.
    Nothing too exotic please.
    Thanks for the advice.
    Cav(J.C.)

  2. #2

    Re: Tackle advice for Swains

    My suggestion is a

    Overhead suited to trolling/deep bottom bashing with 50lb braid
    Overhead or spin with straight through mono for shallower <20m bottom bashing as this saves rerigging time.
    Lighter spin stick for flicking around the reef or off the big boat at night and early morn. I use around 15lb braid.

    Hooks from 5/0 to 9/0, some 7/0 gangs

    Sinkers from 00-16oz

    Some trolling lures (halco lazer pros, rapalas are good), wire, leader (20-80lb).

    Gloves for the hands as the little nick from a fish spike on day one becomes an infected mess by day 5.

    Fish pliers, sun protection, baloons, small bag/bum bag to put spare tackle in whilst he is in the dory or even at the rail of the big boat.
    I am so happy to wake up in the morning.

    Beats the alternative!


  3. #3

    Re: Tackle advice for Swains

    Thanks Apollo,
    I also forgot the savlon antiseptic cream.
    Following your advice, he should be well set up.
    Cav(J.C.)

  4. #4

    Re: Tackle advice for Swains

    Savlon or similar is a great idea once the damage has been done. To minimise damage to the hands which can make a trip painful I used sun gloves while fishing but rubbed a skin moisturiser on my hands in the morning before starting, at lunch and again before retiring for the evening. Sounds a bit girlie but take the jibes from the rest of the crew and I will guarantee you that by the end of the week you will be able to grip the steering wheel of the car for the drive home without crying.
    Regards to all Dick

  5. #5

    Re: Tackle advice for Swains

    As long as the Ugly stick is 10kg minimum he'll be fine. Doesn't need to be 24kg. I have been a couple of times and personally like to use rods and reels a bit lighter as you are holding them for at least 8 hours a day. But if your mate doesn't want to buy all brand new gear he will be fine with that. Braid is a must I reckon. When in the shallows tighten the drag with pliers and give them bugger all!

    Sunglasses x 2
    Hats x 2.

    You don't want to lose either of those in the briny on day 1.

  6. #6

    Re: Tackle advice for Swains

    I went up there a couple of years ago and if I went back I would take a spinning reel for bottom bashing (30-50lb braid) and an overhead for trolling/bottom bashing with similar line class and a spare rig of some sort (but not too light, you will get dusted by trout quickly). Grab a box or 2 of 50 x 8o's, a heap of large ball sinkers, a spool of 100lb leader and some good quality swivels. The deckie will want you to put on 8-10 meters of leader to give him something to grab if required (they don't like grabbing braid!) Beyond that, I found skirts or jet heads were good for trolling because they track straight but we trolled heaps for a couple of Yellowfin tuna and no macs. Some blokes started off with 3 way swivels and fancy rigs but all went running ball onto a hook by the end of the trip cause you get sick of re-rigging! All of the best fish of our trip got sharked so rig big and crank them up as soon as you can. Hope your mate has a blast and the weather gods are kind.

    Cheers
    Terry...

  7. #7

    Re: Tackle advice for Swains

    I have been a few times. I may be different but I like to use mono up there for bottom bashing and trolling. I found the ease of re Rigging with mono much quicker and simpler allowing me to catch more fish. Most of the time you fishing 2 to 40 metres water depth anyway. Call me weird but I think bait gets torn off more easily with braid. I like the low stretch platypus pink being good value. I had a 30-50lb bottom t curve with 140000 Spheros which never missed a beat. I used braid for throwing plastics around on a 30lb rod which was fun on trevs and reefies until my stradic got melted by big rampaging GTs ��

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